Flames surged from the monster, sweeping across the entire plaza in an instant!
Those who were too close were caught off guard. Before they could do anything, flames had already clung to them.
The snake-bodied, human-headed monster grinned cruelly at the sight.
"Death is a necessary way to process food," the monster murmured.
In the blink of an eye, the flames spread over their entire bodies, burning them away until nothing remained but a mass of fire, wailing without end.
Faintly, one could make out souls trapped within the flames.
The monster opened its mouth and inhaled. The flames flew back into its mouth, and it swallowed them in one gulp.
—In just their first encounter, seven or eight people had been killed and eaten by the monster!
Those farther away hurriedly brought out their means of defense.
"Get behind me!" someone shouted.
A smooth, mirrorlike shield of ice appeared in front of him, blocking the flames.
The people who had taken cover behind him escaped unharmed.
Someone pulled on a black glove and reached for the flames.
The glove absorbed the oncoming blaze completely.
Everyone brought their own abilities to bear, doing everything they could to withstand the flames.
Meanwhile.
—From the very beginning, Gu Qingshan had been backing away with Su Xue'er. By the time the monster appeared, the two of them were already at the back of the crowd.
They were almost the two farthest from the attack.
When the flames appeared, the various factions on the plaza blocked most of them. Only a few stray tongues of fire made it across the plaza and lunged toward the pair.
Gu Qingshan drew Earth Sword and summoned the Void Blade, making a light downward slash.
The flames parted at once, skimming past Gu Qingshan as they scattered to